Broken Engagement: Who Keeps the Ring?

What is the proper protocol for a broken engagement? I've heard that if the man calls it off, the woman keeps the ring. But my nephew just canceled his wedding, and his fiancée gave the ring back! Have I missed something?

Although the rules are hard-and-fast on this one, many couples don't play by them. The textbook answer: If an engagement is broken by either party, the bride should return the ring unless it's an heirloom on her family's side. The real-world answer: Some people believe that if the man breaks the engagement (rather than the bride backing out or the couple mutually calling it quits), the ring should not be returned. But why keep a painful reminder of an engagement's end? I'm on the side of your nephew's former fiancée, who had the poise to part with her past gracefully -- and move on.